Mail-box.



11. E. GHLEBORAD. HAIL BOX.

APPLIOA'HOF III-1) IAB. 16, 1911. r

Patented June 20,1911.

W1 TNESSES l U Amway:

HENRY E. CHLEBORAD, OF ATWOOD, KANSAS.

MAIL-BOX.

Application filed March 16, 1911.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 20, 1911.

Serial No. 614,802.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY E. CI'ILEBORAD,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Atwood, in the county of Rawlius and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mail boxes and particularly to that class of devices especially adapted for use in connection with the rural free-delivery service.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and efiicient device which may be automatically operated by the vehicle of the mail-carrier greatly facilitating the collection and delivery of mail matter.

With the above and other objects in view, this invention consists in the combination, construction, and arrangement of parts, all as hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the mail box showing the door in open position and Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the mail box showing more clearly the operation of the signal device.

Throughout the following detail description and on the several figures of the drawings, similar parts are referred to by like reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, 1 denotes a mail box or receptacle rigidly mounted upon a post 2 firmly embedded in the ground, and supported thereon by means of braces such as illustrated at 3, one end of each of which is attached to the front extension of the box.

At a is designated a base plate to which is pivotally attached the trip lever 5, said lever having mounted thereon near its pivoted end the trip plate 6. To the plate 6 are preferably hinged end sections 7, the outer extremities of which rest on the base late 4 in such manner as to form a gradual in cline. At the inner extremity of the trip lever 5 is attached a pull rod 8, the opposite end of which is in turn secured to the cross arm 9 intermediate the ends thereof, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3. The mail box 1 is formed with its front portion inclined and has a door 10. On either side of the box are mounted the bell crank levers 11, the longer arms of which are attached near 55 their ends to the cross piece '12 secured to the door and at their outer extremities to ble connections '15 to the outer extremities of the cross arm 9. Pivoted, as at 16, in the rear of the box 1, is the flag signal 17 which may be held in vertical position by the spring detent 18. The signal is connected to one end of the cross arm 9 by the flexible connection 19 which passes through the eye 20 located on the upper edge of the side of the receptacle 1.

The invention thus described is referably placed near the path of travel 0 the mail carrier and is automatically operated by causing the wheel of his vehicle to pass onto the trip plate 6, the wheel readily ascending the inclined sections 7, whereupon the lever 5 exerts a downward pull on the rod 8, and the bell cranl: levers are then actuated through the medium of the cross arm 9 and the flexible connections 15. This operation will cause the door to be opened, assuming the position shown in Fig. 2, the mail carrier then removing any mail matter placed therein by the user and inserting any mail for delivery. This action may be quickly accomplished, not even necessitating the vehicle coming to a stop. As soon as the wheel or wheels of the said vehicle leave the trip plate, the tension of the springs 13 causes the return of the door to closed position, the bottom of the door abutting on the extension 14 of the mail box and limiting the movement thereof. Simultaneous with the opening of the box the flag signal previously set by being manually placed in vertical position so as to be held by the sprin detent 18, and thereby notify the carrier 0 the presence of mail for transmission, is caused to be disengaged from the aforesaid spring through the means of the connection 19, the sigma assuming the prone position shown in Fig. 2.

It will be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the details of construction herein s ecified, and that the same may be modifie within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what is claimed as new is In combination, a mail receptacle open at one end, a door therefor, bell crank levers pivoted to the opposite sides of said receptacle, having corresponding arms thereof extendin outwardly and secured to the 0pposite sides of the door, springs secured to the outer extremities of the aforesaid arms and the bottom of said receptacle to normally hold the door in closed position, a cross arm extending transversely beneath the receptacle and connected at its extremities to the other arms of said bell crank levers, and means for exerting a pull on said 10 cross arm to actuate the bell crank levers and thereby open the door.

In testimony whereof I alfix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY E. CHLEBORAD. Witnesses:

N. C. THOMAS, PAUL A. TREADWELL.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

